Transport Malta chiefs do not want bendy buses

Transport Malta wants Arriva bendy buses phased out permanently even if the company manages to address the safety concerns that forced the fleet into temporary retirement. The authority cannot order the removal of the buses since their use is integrated in the 10-year contract that Arriva undertook in 2010, but Transport Malta’s top brass has started lobbying the company in that direction. The development comes as a report commissioned by the authority concluded that overheating in a part of the buses’ engine near fuel lines is the likely cause of the fires that led to the fleet being temporarily suspended last month. More details in The Sunday Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium.